


Until AllSafe

by ca_hawkins



Category: Mr. Robot (TV), Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Relationships, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:28:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21952960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ca_hawkins/pseuds/ca_hawkins
Summary: After the events up in the mountain, the Hartleys decide to leave California for a while and stay at New York. Getting frustrated by their over-protectiveness, Chris decides to be an intern at AllSafe, and sees someone who reminds him of someone he cares about. Everything was fine, until AllSafe.
Relationships: Chris Hartley & Josh Washington, Elliot Alderson & Chris Hartley
Kudos: 12





	Until AllSafe

**CHRISTOPHER HARTLEY**

"So, this is where you'll be working," the woman named Angela Moss says, "and don't worry, we don't burn out the interns." She gives a small smile.

I sit down on the cubicle she showed me and inspect the rather empty table bar a computer. "Yeah, thanks," I tell her, giving her a smile of my own.

Angela, then, leans over the side of the cubicle and adds, "Okay, our boss—Gideon or Mr. Goddard, to you—will probably want to see you when he arrives, okay? I think you met him when we had your interview, right?"

"Yeah," I say with a confident smile.

"Right, okay. He said he'll be here in a few minutes, so you can just sit there and relax for a little while."

"All right," I tell her.

My family went to New York and we'll be staying here for a little over two months because of dad's job. Being a family of three, mom doesn't think it's wise to separate the family too long, so we're coming with him.

I know the real reason, though. She probably thinks the change of scenery might do me some good.

I disagree, of course, but I guess I'll have to pretend I don't know their motives. I can't fight mom anyway.

Ashley was understanding, thankfully. Although, she'd been clinging on to me after everything that happened back up the mountain. I understand that. I needed her to cling on to something in this reality, too—which is why it was hard to leave California.

Still, family is family. So, I decided to take some work experience for two months at a company to get away from them. I love them, of course, but there are days when I can't bear mom's overbearing nature, and the flashes of concern in dad's eyes whenever they see me. 

It's only been a week, and I'm already growing insane from their protectiveness.

I'm lucky AllSafe is letting me work here for two months.

I look up from the computer to look around the environment. It's a decent place—quiet except for your standard office noise, and the occasional brief interaction between two people. Everything's bright. People seem nice, and—

_Fuck._

"What happened?" the guy beside me asks in concern.

I blink, looking down at him. I didn't even feel myself stand up from the shock of it all.

"N-nothing. I thought I saw a spider or something," I quickly make-up. I don't care if this will make me look like a wimp. They won't remember me in two months anyway.

I could be wrong. But no, there he is... Is that...? No, it can't be. He's dead, right? But no, there he is.

Without my permission, my feet make me go over there...

To _him_.

I stand there with my mouth agape, staring at this—this ghost in front of me. Yet, no one seems to mind—no one seems to care. No one thinks anything is wrong, except for me. Not even the person I am referring to seems to care.

He doesn't even seem to think much of me standing by his cubicle, staring at him like some idiot. But I can't seem to move. I'm frozen—frozen in time.

I watch as he rolls his eyes and sighs. Slowly, he removes his earphones and looks up at me.

No.

His eyes.

They're different. They're not brown. They're blue.

Why are Josh's eyes blue?

"Can I help you?" he asks me impatiently.

"I—I..." I stammer because of his glare.

He's like Josh but... different—older, skinnier, meaner, more reserved. Other than that, the facial structure is uncanny. Their eyes are the same shape, but of different hues. Hell, they even sound the same—a rarity in itself.

"Oh, you're that new intern!" the guy beside _him_ suddenly interferes. I look over at him, my expression unchanged. "Lloyd Chung," he tells me, raising his hand for a handshake.

"Uh, Chris Hartley," I reply, heading over there, just behind _him_ to shake his hand.

"Don't mind Elliot. He's not really the friendly type," Lloyd jokes.

"Yo, man, I gotta finish my work, you know?" the guy replies.

"Elliot," I whisper, a bit relieved at the change of name.

I'm being an idiot. Of course, he can't be Josh. How can he?

"Yeah," Elliot says, his eyes back on his computer screen. "What do you want?"

I blink once. Twice. Thrice. "Nothing."

He looks up at me. "Then what are you doing here?" he asks me, and I can tell he wasn't trying to be mean—he was downright questioning my appearance.

"I—I don't know. I'll—I'll head back to my—er..." I turn to look at my cubicle slightly, not really knowing what is going on. My head is in the clouds. I can't, for the life of me, process anything right now. "Yeah," I end awkwardly.

I walk away but not before looking back once more to look at him—Elliot, not Josh.

He's definitely focused on his work, and he doesn't seem to care that I just made a fool out of myself.

"Chris?" I turn around to see Miss Angela once more. "Gideon's here. You might want to head over there now, before he gets busy later."

"Sure, I'll do that. Thanks," I say politely.

I head over to the office with glass walls and see an older man in a suit. I've met him briefly before. He welcomed me in his office when Miss Angela told him that I might become an intern in AllSafe.

I knock at his door and he looks up at me with a smile. Opening the door, I greet him with a soft, "Mr. Goddard?" before he motions me to sit in front of him.

"Christopher, right?" he asks me.

"Yes, sir."

"And you're the new intern?" he asks and I simply nod in reply. "Okay, good. I'm sorry I can't talk to you longer since I have a meeting at nine o'clock, but I want to welcome you at AllSafe. How has it been so far?" he asks me.

"It's been great!" I reply enthusiastically. "Everyone's been so nice to me. And I like the work environment here. People seem to be really focused on their work."

"That, they do," Mr. Goddard replies. "Well, I want you to be welcomed here at AllSafe and I want you to get to know the team. Wait a moment, will you?"

"Yes, sir."

I watch as Mr. Goddard open the door and lean forward before yelling out, "Elliot!"

I freeze. My feet and hands turn numb at the name. This can't be happening.

Mr. Goddard enters and Elliot walks behind him silently, standing by the corner instead of sitting on the seat beside me.

"Elliot, this is Christopher," Mr. Goddard introduces us. "Christopher, this is Elliot Alderson."

"Um, we've met," I say awkwardly, "and it's Chris, Mr. Goddard."

"Ahhh, sorry, Chris, then," he says with a small smile, "and you've met? Wow, that's good."

"What am I doing here?" Elliot asks.

Mr. Goddard leans back on his desk and claps his hands, looking at me and Elliot. "Right, Elliot, I want you to brief Chris here on what we do here at AllSafe."

"Why?" Elliot asks.

Mr. Goddard blinks profusely before giving another smile. "I think it might do you both some good."

I don't know what he means by that, and I don't think Elliot knows either, judging from how his brows furrow at Mr. Goddard's words.

He and I stare at each other for a few moments. And I still can't understand how much he looks at Josh. Why him of all people? Why does Mr. Goddard hate me this much? I can't handle this.

No. I have to.

So, with a smile, I leave the office with Elliot telling me what to do rather unenthusiastically, if I may say so.


End file.
